Science Fiction Hobby Games

Science Fiction Hobby Games PDF

Author: Neal Tringham

Publisher:

Published: 2013-06-05

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 9780957657809

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Science Fiction Hobby Games serves as a history and guide to tabletop gaming franchises set in original science-fictional milieux. Its subject is the pen and paper role playing games and model and counter based wargames that preceded modern videogames and still evolve alongside them, as well as the gamebooks, board games, card games and postal games that are their less famous cousins. Included are detailed critical overviews of more than a hundred fantastical universes published between 1969 and 2013, along with essays on popular types of tabletop game and the natures of their settings and stories. Throughout, sf games are treated as an integral part of the long history of science fiction, and as a new way of enabling its explorations of the future and other worlds. Based on the author's contributions to the Hugo Award winning third edition of the Clute and Nicholls Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, this book contains an extra 20,000 words on additional games and other topics, specially written for this new version of the text.

Those Dark Places

Those Dark Places PDF

Author: Jonathan Hicks

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2007-07-27

Total Pages: 190

ISBN-13: 1847536697

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Jonathan Hicks, published twice in the British Science Fiction Association's writer's magazine 'FOCUS' and the mission designer/dialogue writer of the mobile telephone game of acclaimed television show 'Battlestar Galactica', presents twelve short stories about the little people in the big universe. "I grew up with the grandiose science fiction tales, in books and on film, with great galaxy-spanning adventures or life-changing technologies," said Jonathan Hicks. "In this book I concentrate on the 'little guy', the people who work behind the scenes and those who get a less than stellar deal out of the supposed adventure travelling the galaxy and exploring new technologies offers." Click on the 'preview this book' under the cover picture above to find out more about these stories. Contains strong language and some violence

Women's Space

Women's Space PDF

Author: Melanie A. Marotta

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2020-01-17

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 1476636729

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From the Star Wars expanded universe to Westworld, the science fiction western has captivated audiences for more than fifty years. These twelve new essays concentrate on the female characters in the contemporary science fiction western, addressing themes of power, agency, intersectionality and the body. Discussing popular works such as Fringe, Guardians of the Galaxy and Mass Effect, the essayists shed new light on the gender dynamics of these beloved franchises, emphasizing inclusion and diversity with their critical perspectives.

One-Hour Wargames

One-Hour Wargames PDF

Author: Neil Thomas

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2014-09-03

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1473840937

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A fun and practical new approach to wargaming that lets you complete a game in about an hour—includes rule sets and scenarios for most popular periods. One of the biggest problems facing wargamers is finding the time to actually play. Most commercially available games require several hours to set up and see to a conclusion; some can even take a whole day or weekend to complete. Apart from time, lack of space can also keep wargamers from enjoying their favorite pastime. In One-hour Wargames, veteran gamer and rule-writer Neil Thomas has addressed both problems. Now it is practical to play a satisfying game in around an hour on a normal dining table or living room floor. The book contains 8 all-new sets of very simple rules for various periods—from Ancient to WW2—and thirty stimulating scenarios which can be played using any of them. All the rules and scenarios are intended to be played on a 3ft x 3ft battlefield. The rules only require a small number of miniatures, so this really is an ideal way for new gamers, or veterans trying a new period, to get started with minimal investment of time and money. Also ideal for a quick game in the evening with a friend. Also included are sections on campaigns and solo games.

Eurogames

Eurogames PDF

Author: Stewart Woods

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2012-08-16

Total Pages: 269

ISBN-13: 0786490659

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While board games can appear almost primitive in the digital age, eurogames--also known as German-style board games--have increased in popularity nearly concurrently with the rise of video games. Eurogames have simple rules and short playing times and emphasize strategy over luck and conflict. This book examines the form of eurogames, the hobbyist culture that surrounds them, and the way that hobbyists experience the play of such games. It chronicles the evolution of tabletop hobby gaming and explores why hobbyists play them, how players balance competitive play with the demands of an intimate social gathering, and to what extent the social context of the game encounter shapes the playing experience. Combining history, cultural studies, leisure studies, ludology, and play theory, this innovative work highlights a popular alternative trend in the gaming community.

Storytelling in the Modern Board Game

Storytelling in the Modern Board Game PDF

Author: Marco Arnaudo

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2018-08-28

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 1476633606

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Over the years, board games have evolved to include relatable characters, vivid settings and compelling, intricate plotlines. In turn, players have become more emotionally involved--taking on, in essence, the role of coauthors in an interactive narrative. Through the lens of game studies and narratology--traditional storytelling concepts applied to the gaming world--this book explores the synergy of board games, designers and players in story-oriented designs. The author provides development guidance for game designers and recommends games to explore for hobby players.

Reality's Edge

Reality's Edge PDF

Author: Joseph McGuire

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2019-08-22

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 1472826639

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Hyper-reality. The area between the thriving mass of humanity known as the Sprawl and the digital refuge of Cyberspace. This is your playground. As a Showrunner, you can see and manipulate the flow of digital data through the real world – for you, reality is limitless. Welcome to Reality's Edge, a skirmish wargame set in a dystopian cyberpunk future, where players take on the roles of Showrunners – mercenary hackers who lead small teams of trusted operatives and disposable freelancers. Funded by shadow backers, the Showrunners accept jobs from faceless clients for profit, glory, and better chrome... always better chrome. Battles take place in the concrete jungle known as the Sprawl, but Showrunners must remain wary of the threat posed by Cyberspace. Hacking is pivotal to the game, with data nodes, robots, machines, and even enemy chrome presenting potential targets for a cunning Console Cowboy. In an ongoing campaign, each skirmish offers you the opportunity to earn experience and equipment, from advanced weaponry and synthetics to cyber-implants, biological enhancements, clones, and much more. This is a world obsessed with whether something can be done, not whether it should.

Online Games, Social Narratives

Online Games, Social Narratives PDF

Author: Esther MacCallum-Stewart

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-06-13

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 1317652223

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The study of online gaming is changing. It is no longer enough to analyse one type of online community in order to understand the plethora of players who take part in online worlds and the behaviours they exhibit. MacCallum-Stewart studies the different ways in which online games create social environments and how players choose to interpret these. These games vary from the immensely popular social networking games on Facebook such as Farmville to Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games to "Free to Play" online gaming and console communities such as players of Xbox Live and PS3 games. Each chapter deals with a different aspect of social gaming online, breaking down when games are social and what narrative devices make them so. This cross-disciplinary study will appeal to those interested in cyberculture, the evolution of gaming technology, and sociologies of media.

Nova Praxis

Nova Praxis PDF

Author: Mike McConnell

Publisher:

Published: 2013-06-20

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9780615816838

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A post-singularity sci-fi setting that explores transhumanism and post-scarcity societies against a backdrop of action, adventure, conspiracy and intrigue.